Carrier apparatus



T W. NYGREEN. CARRIER APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT! 5, I919.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921'.

wbzntoz UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE.

THEODORE W. NYG-REEN, OF BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN WALKER, OF BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

CARRIER APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 13921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THEODORE W. NY- GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellingham, in the county of lVhatcom and State of lVashington, have invented a new and useful Carrier Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to carrier apparatus, one of its objects being to provide an apparatus of this character especially designed for use in coal mines to convey coal therefrom, the construction being such as to facilitate the handling of the coal and save time and labor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic carrier apparatus wherein the source of pneumatic force serves also as a means to ventilate the mine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a carrier apparatus wherein a number of spherical receptacles or carriers are provided, the carriers being provided with looking meansof novel form.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier apparatus which is simple in construction, consists of few parts, and may be manufactured and sold at low cost.

With the above and other objects and ad vantages in mind, the invention consists of the construction and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter set forth in the appended claim, the invention being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherem- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through the carrier illustrating the lock construction thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the carrier;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through a portion of the container and part of the door or closure engaging the same.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the inner face of the bolt operating disk carried by the door or closure of the container, the pin engaged by the disk being shown in section.

As illustrated in the drawing only the discharged end of the conduit 5 is shown, it be ing obvious that this conduit extends throughout the mine and is provided with receiving stations at the various beds of the mine.

The conduit 5 terminates in a downwardly curved end which will break the force of the carriers passing through the conduit. A- door 6, which is normally closed, is hinged to the lower end of the conduit and is only opened when the carriers strike the same. A cage 7 receives the ends of the conduit and is supported in any desired manner. The forward end of this cage is open and is pro vided with a door 8 hinged as at 9 to the upper edge of the cage. A branch conduit 10 leads from the conduit 5 above the curved end and communicates with a fan housing 11 in which is mounted a fan 12 the purpose of which is to produce a suction in the conduit 5. The shaft of the pan is supported. in bearings 13 disposed on the side of the housing 11, the shaft being pro vided with a drive pulley 14.

There are provided a number of hollow spherical receptacles adapted to be drawn through the conduit 5 by the suction produced therein and thence to the cage 7. Each of these containers 15 is provided with a door opening 16 and at the inner edge thereof an outstanding rim 17 is provided and adapted for engagement with outstanding lugs 19 formed at one transverse edge of the door 18. Thus the door 18 is capable of ivotal movement.

lock of special construction is used in connection with a door and consists of a casing 20 secured to the inner face of the door 18. Slidably mounted in a guide 21 in the casing 20 is a bolt 22 adapted for enga ement with the rim 17.

fiotatable in an opening 28 in the door 18 and in the casing 20 is a disk 24 provided with an eccentric or spiral groove 25 in its outer face in which is disposed a pin 26 carried by the bolt 22. A socket 27 is formed in the disk 24 and is adapted to be engaged by a wrench when it is desired to retract or project the bolt 22. It will be obvious that upon rotating the disk 24, in one direction the bolt will be retracted within the casing 20 and that upon rotating the same in the opposite direction the bolt will be projected into engagement with the rim 17.

Deflecting bars 30 located across the point of intersection of the conduits 5 and 10, act as a deflector to direct the containers across the end of the conduit 10.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrative only and it will be understood that In carrier apparatus the combination with a suction conduit, and a suction element in communication with the conduit, of a ClOWIl-' wardly ofiset curved terminal extending from the conduit and having an inclined end, a cage housing said end and having an inclined free end, gravity seated doors mounted upon the free ends of the flue terminal and of the cage, and a spherical container movable by suction within the flue and by gravity Within'the curved offset terminal and through the cage, said doors being movable to open position by the pressure THEODORE W. NYGREEN.

Witnesses ALBERT KNUTsoN, H. I. OLIVER. 

